Disposable paper products dispenser adaptable to different types of products

ABSTRACT

A dispenser which essentially consists of a body formed by a back and a cover connected so that the cover is openable, and has at least one delivery outlet formed in a replaceable bottom plate that is separate from the back and the cover is disclosed. The bottom plate and the back are also provided with reciprocal coupling means.

The present invention relates to dispensers for disposable paperproducts such as towels, wipes, toilet paper and the like, and inparticular to a dispenser which is provided with means to adapt it tothe dispensing of different types of products.

It is known that there are different dispensers of disposable paperproducts that generally consist of a body made up of a wall support orback on which a cover is applied that can be opened to reload thedispenser, the opening of the cover being typically obtained by means ofpivot pins which connect the cover to the back. The dispensing of thepaper product contained in the dispenser takes place through a bottomdelivery outlet formed in the back and/or in the cover, said outletbeing sized and shaped specifically for the product to be dispensed.

In fact, disposable paper products can be of various different types,for example products obtained from a continuous roll which may or maynot have die-cut transverse lines which define the tear-off length, orproducts in sheets that can simply be stacked or interfolded and/orfolded in various ways. Consequently, the delivery outlet is designed toachieve optimal delivery of the specific type of product contained inthe dispenser, for example with a cutting edge to allow the user amanual cutting of length at will in the case of a continuous rollwithout die cuts, or with a specific width/length based on the size ofthe product in sheets.

This constitutes an inconvenience for the operators of public places(restaurants, offices, canteens, etc.) where these dispensers aretypically placed, since it is necessary to have a specific dispenser foreach type of paper product with a corresponding need to replace it incase of change in the type of product, for example passing from thetoilet paper in roll to that in sheets. Furthermore, if the stocks of aproduct are exhausted it is not possible to temporarily use anotherproduct in the same dispenser, for example using paper towels in sheetsinstead of toilet paper.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a dispenserwhich overcomes the above drawbacks. This object is achieved by means ofa dispenser in which the delivery outlet is formed in a replaceablebottom plate that is separate from the back and the cover, said bottomplate and the back being provided with mutual coupling means.

The main advantage of this dispenser is indeed to allow the use ofdifferent types of disposable paper products simply by replacing thebottom plate, so as to reduce the costs and difficulties for theoperator in the stock management of the products since each dispenser iseasily adaptable to another product.

Another advantage of the present dispenser is to achieve this with avery simple structure, which is inexpensive and does not require the useof tools for the adaptation to a different product.

These and other advantages and characteristics of the dispenseraccording to the present invention will become apparent to those skilledin the art from the following detailed description of an embodimentthereof with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top front perspective view of the dispenser body, withoutthe bottom plate and with the cover in the open position;

FIG. 2 is a top front perspective view of a bottom plate suitable forthe dispensing of a first type of product;

FIG. 3 is a top front perspective view of the bottom plate of FIG. 2mounted on the body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top front perspective view of a bottom plate suitable forthe dispensing of a second type of product, in cooperation with aspecific auxiliary adaptation element;

FIG. 5 is a top front perspective view of the bottom plate and auxiliaryelement of FIG. 4 mounted on the body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top front perspective view of a bottom plate suitable forthe dispensing of a third type of product, in cooperation with a furtherauxiliary adaptation element; and

FIG. 7 is a top front perspective view of the bottom plate and auxiliaryelement of FIG. 6 mounted on the body of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is seen that the body of a dispenseraccording to the present invention conventionally comprises a back 1 anda cover 2 connected via pivot pins 3 which allow the opening of the bodyformed by said elements in order to reload, rearrange or replace thedisposable paper products contained in the dispenser. Note that theposition of pins 3 at the lower end of the dispenser is only exemplary,since cover 2 could also rotate upward or sideways or be connected toback 1 in a different opening manner (e.g. by sliding). Furthermore back1 is provided in the rear wall with shaped seats 4 to mate with wallmounting elements.

The main innovative aspect of the present invention resides in the factthat the body does not include any bottom delivery outlet, since thebottom walls of back 1 and cover 2 are almost entirely absent so as toleave an opening 5, and that back 1 is provided with second shaped seats6 and preferably also with elastic locking tabs 7. Note that althoughseats 6 and any tabs 7 are preferably also formed in the rear wall, intheory they could also be formed in the side walls. In addition, othershaped seats 8, 9 are preferably formed in the rear wall of back 1 forcoupling with auxiliary adaptation elements described further on.

To close the bottom opening 5 of the dispenser there is provided abottom plate 10 as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 2. This plate10 is shaped as a tray and is provided with rear hooks 11 adapted tomate with seats 6 and with a delivery outlet 12 specific for the type ofproduct to be dispensed, specifically paper towels in sheets in theillustrated example. As shown in FIG. 3, plate 10 can be mounted throughthe coupling means 6, 11 inside the dispenser body, thereby closingopening 5, so that the latter is suitable for the dispensing of thisspecific type of product through outlet 12 that is substantially aslarge as plate 10.

To adapt the dispenser to a different type of product it is sufficientto replace the bottom plate 10 with a second type of bottom plate suchas plate 10′ illustrated in FIG. 4 which has the same rear hooks 11 butinstead of a single wide delivery outlet as outlet 12 has two ovaloutlets 12′ side by side. This plate 10′ cooperates with an auxiliaryadaptation element that consists of a vertical partition 13 providedwith rear hooks 14 adapted to mate with seats 8 in a manner similar tothe mating of hooks 11 with seats 6.

Furthermore, plate 10′ preferably also comprises a central seat 15between openings 12′ in which the bottom edge of partition 13 is fittedas shown in FIG. 5. In this way, the dispenser is adapted to dispensewipes having a width about half of the towels provided in theconfiguration of FIG. 3, typically for use as toilet paper, whereby asame dispenser with the appropriate adaptation can be used both next toa sink and next to a toilet.

The same applies to the further possibility of adaptation illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, showing a third type of bottom plate 10″ which alwayspresents the rear hooks 11 and has two square outlets 12″ side by sidefitted with jagged edges along the sides. This plate 10″ cooperates withan auxiliary adaptation element that consists of a horizontal peg 16adapted to be inserted in seat 9 to act as a support for a roll oftoilet paper with axis perpendicular to the rear wall of back 1.

It is clear that the embodiment of the dispenser according to theinvention described and illustrated above is just an example susceptibleof various modifications. In particular, the exact shape of the bottomplate 10, 10′, 10″ and of the possible auxiliary adaptation elements 13,16 can vary depending on the type of product to be dispensed, as well ascan vary the number, shape and arrangement of the relevant means for thecoupling with back 1 and of outlets 12, 12′, 12″.

1.-7. (canceled)
 8. A dispenser provided with at least one deliveryoutlet, consisting essentially of a body formed by a back and a coverconnected so that said cover is openable, said back being provided withshaped seats for mating with wall mounting elements, said at least onedelivery outlet being formed in a replaceable bottom plate to adapt thedispenser to a different type of product that is separate from the backand from the cover, said bottom plate and the back being provided withfirst reciprocal coupling means, and further comprising auxiliaryadaptation elements to adapt the dispenser to a different type ofproduct, wherein said auxiliary adaptation elements and the back areprovided with second reciprocal coupling means.
 9. The dispenseraccording to claim 8, wherein the back is also provided with one or moreelastic tabs adapted to lock the bottom plate.
 10. The dispenseraccording to claim 8, wherein the bottom plate is substantially shapedas a tray.
 11. The Dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the bottomplate is provided with a delivery outlet substantially as large as theplate, or with two oval delivery outlets side by side, or with twosquare delivery outlets side by side provided with jagged edges alongthe sides.
 12. The dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the auxiliaryadaptation elements consist of a vertical partition and a horizontal pegadapted to be coupled to the back with its axis perpendicular to a rearwall of the back to act as a support for a roll of toilet paper.
 13. Thedispenser according to claim 12, wherein the bottom plate comprises acentral seat adapted to receive the bottom edge of the verticalpartition.
 14. The dispenser according to claim 9, wherein the bottomplate is substantially shaped as a tray.
 15. The dispenser according toclaim 9, wherein the bottom plate is provided with a delivery outletsubstantially as large as the plate, or with two oval delivery outletsside by side, or with two square delivery outlets side by side providedwith jagged edges along the sides.
 16. The dispenser according to claim9, wherein the auxiliary adaptation elements consist of a verticalpartition and a horizontal peg adapted to be coupled to the back withits axis perpendicular to a rear wall of the back to act as a supportfor a roll of toilet paper.
 17. The dispenser according to claim 16,wherein the bottom plate comprises a central seat adapted to receive thebottom edge of the vertical partition.
 18. The dispenser according toclaim 10, wherein the bottom plate is provided with a delivery outletsubstantially as large as the plate, or with two oval delivery outletsside by side, or with two square delivery outlets side by side providedwith jagged edges along the sides.
 19. The dispenser according to claim10, wherein the auxiliary adaptation elements consist of a verticalpartition and a horizontal peg adapted to be coupled to the back withits axis perpendicular to a rear wall of the back to act as a supportfor a roll of toilet paper.
 20. The dispenser according to claim 19,wherein the bottom plate comprises a central seat adapted to receive thebottom edge of the vertical partition.
 21. Dispenser according to claim11, wherein the auxiliary adaptation elements consist of a verticalpartition and a horizontal peg adapted to be coupled to the back withits axis perpendicular to a rear wall of the back to act as a supportfor a roll of toilet paper.
 22. Dispenser according to claim 21, whereinthe bottom plate comprises a central seat adapted to receive the bottomedge of the vertical partition.